Machine for sewing long lengths of fabrics



(110 Model.)

0. MONEIL. MACHINE FOR SEWING LONG LENGTHS OF FABRICS.

Patented Febl 9, 1892.

in Machines for Holding and Sewing Long UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHESTER MCNElL, Ol." UIIIOAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR- TO THE UNION SPECIAL SEIVING MACHINE COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR SEWING LONG LENGTHS OF FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,457, dated February 9, 1892.

Application filed May 28,1891.

To all whom it may concern.-

lie it known that I, CHESTER McXEIL, of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement Lengths of Fabric, of which the following is a specification.

1 y invention has reference to machines for holding and sewing long lengths of fabrics; and itconsists of certain improvements, which are fully set forth in the following specilication, and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a suitable means of propulsion to a sewing-niachine carried upon the edge of long lengths of carpet or other fabrics and employed for uniting two such lengthshy alinc of stitches, which may be eitherthe well-known straight or zigzag stitches. i

Machines have been designed heretofore to run upon the edge of fabrics stretched and held in a vertical plane; but in all cases they have been l'iand-opcrated, and the use of them is not only laborious, but slow.

In carrying out myinvention I employ any of the well-ltnown sewing -1nachines constrnctcd to ride upon the edge of the fabric, and provide this machine with an electric motor for operating it and feeding it along the edge of the carpet, the current being supplied from a stationary source by means of conductors arranged along or parallel to the stretched fabric, and the motor being carried by and moving with the sewing-machine.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the machine for holding and sewing carpet embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is an end elevation of same removed from the carpet and with the suspended conductors in section.

A is a long length of carpet, which is suspended so as to lie in a vertical plane, and is stretched by means of a Windlass. One end of the carpet near its top is secured in aclamp E, which is attached by a link and hook F to one of the walls G of the :room. The other end of the carpet is secured to asecond clamp B, and this is attached to a windlass C by means of a cord or chain D. The Windlass C Serial No. 394,389' (No model.)

is secured to the opposite wall. 13y operating the Windlass the carpet A is stretched and the adjacent edges of two strips are caused to lie close together.

II is the sewing-machine, adapted to ride upon and travel along the upper edges of the carpet. This sewing-machine may be of any well-known construction-such, for instance, as is clearly setout in Letters Patent to II.

S. Flint, No. 405,83t, dated June 25,1889 and is provided with vertical guides I, which inclose the upper edge of the carpet, and feeding-rolls J for feeding the machine along the carpet. The power-shaft K of the sewing-machine is provided with a worm-wheel It, with which a worm L meshes, said worm being socured to a motor-shaft Z of the electric motor M, which is secured to the guides I.

N is a rheostat or speed-regulator for the electric motor, and is also secured to the guides I, so as to be carried or moved with the sewing-machine.

Arranged above the carpet, near the ceiling, are two stretched conductors O O, which connect by means of wires S with a source of electrical ei'iergy Q, the current from. which may be regulated by a regulator R. Running upon these conductors O O is a carriage 1, having collectorwhcels 1) p, which are electrically connected by means of inotor-cir- 8o cuits a with the rhcostat N and motor M, as shown. In practice these conductors a would be insulated, and may be, if desired, mechanically connected to form asingle cord or cable such as is commonly found in the markct--for instance, in telephone-receiver cords. The carriage P is provided, if desired, with a weight T to hold the wheels firmly upon the conductors. he conductors O 0 may also be inclined, as shown in Fig. 1, so that there is a tendency of the carriage P to run forward of the sewing-machine and thereby not only overcome any tendency to retard the travel of said Sow'ingmachine, but, on the other hand, assist the sewing-machine in its travel. From this construction it is evident that the sewing-machine, the electric motor, and the rheostat or regulator are caused to travel along the carpet or other fabric and be suspended thereby without the I0) employment of a railway, and during its travel electric energy is supplied to the motor by means of a traveling contact with longitudinal conductors of suitable construction.

It is immaterial to my invention what particular means are employed for stretching the carpet orwhat particular means may be employed for supplying current from a stationary source to the traveling motor, as these, as wellas the sewing-machine proper, may be modified without in the least departing from the principles of my invention.

Having now'described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus for holding and sewing fabries, the combination of means for supporting long lengths of fabric in a stretched condition, a sewing-machine supported by and traveling along the edge of the carpet, an electric motor secured to and traveling with the sewing-machine, a vline condnctor'arranged longitudinally with respect to the fabric, a traveling contact moving along the said conductor, and an electric conductor between the traveling contact and the electric motor.

2. In apparatus for holding and sewing fabrics, the combination of means for supporting long lengths of fabric in a stretched condition, a sewing machine supported by and traveling along the edge of the carpet, an electric motor secured to and traveling with the sewingmachine, a line conductor arranged longitudinally with respect to the fabric, a traveling contact moving along the said conductor, an electric conductor between the traveling contact and the electric motor, and a regulator for controllin the motor secured to and moving with the sewing-machine and including the electric conductor leading to the motor.

3. In apparatus for-holding and sewing long lengths of fabrics, the combination of means for stretching the fabric, a sewing-machine supported by and traveling along the edge of the fabric, an electric motor for operating the sewing-machine secured to and 'arriedby it, two suspended conductors arranged at an elevation above the sewing-machine and longitudinally with respect to the stretched fabric, a traveling carriage moving upon the conduetors and making electrical connection therewith by separate contacts, and an electric circuit leading from the two contacts of the carriage and including the electric motor.

4. In apparatus for holdingand sewinglong lengths of fabrics, the combination of means for stretching the fabric, a sewing-machine supported by and traveling along the edge of the fabric, an electric inotorfor operating the sewing-machine secured to and carried by it,

two suspended conductors arranged at an clevation above the Sewing-machine and longitudinally with respect to the stretched fabric, a traveling carriage moving upon the conductors and making electrical connection therewith by separate contacts, an electric circuit leading from the two contacts of the carriage and including the electric motor, and

a rheostat or regulator carricdby the sewingmachine for controlling the current delivered to the motor.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

(iIIlCS'lER MUNICH. \Vit'ncssc LANSING ()NDIGI-LDONK, W. S. Non'rn. 

